Students and fans were anxious.The score was 25-20, Springbrook leading with just over two minutes left on the clock. The game had not gone as planned for the Panthers. Some left the stadium.  

However, those who stood and sweated it out celebrated, while those who left missed out on the heroics, as the Panthers, with just 36 seconds left,  scored a touchdown and a successful  two-point conversion to earn a hard-fought  28-25 win over their rivals.

This past Thursday night at Paint Branch High School, the varsity football team took on Springbrook High School. It was 7:00 pm, and excited students entered as the game was getting started. Springbrook had the ball first, but lost it quick due to Paint Branch’s stifling defense. With a little over five minutes left in the first quarter, Paint Branch scored the first touchdown of the game making the score 6-0 as cheering and yelling erupted from the crowd.

At the start of the second quarter, junior Norman Douglas scored Paint Branch’s second touchdown to add six more points to their total. The extra point was good this time, and the Panthers were up 13-0 and cruising.  The crowd cheered loudly with excitement as they foresaw another Panther win.

Springbrook had other plans, though, when only a few minutes later they scored their first touchdown as quarterback Trevon Ruffin threw the ball to senior Markell McDaniels. The extra point was good and the Panthers’ lead was cut to 13-7.

With less than six minutes left in the first half and a score of 13-9, the Blue Devils used this momentum to add another touchdown as Ruffin threw the ball to junior Yahri Shango. The extra point was good, and the score was now 16-13, Blue Devils.

At the end of the first half, Springbrook was up three points and feeling confident.  Paint Branch was losing, but the spirits remained high both on the field and in the stands.

“We may be losing, but it’s still exciting,” cheered senior Brian Money.

Halftime ended as the marching band left the field and went back to the stands. The players and spectators were ready for third quarter.

The third quarter started with the Panthers down by three points, but this did not deter them from storming back to take the lead. Paint Branch scored another touchdown. The extra point was good – giving them a 20-16 lead. Soon after, the Blue Devils got back on the board with a field goal, but it wasn’t enough to get ahead. Heading into the fourth quarter, PB clung to a 20-19 lead.

The fourth quarter brought some heartbreak and heroics as the teams traded touchdowns. Springbrook made their final score of the game as Ruffin threw his third scoring pass, this time to junior Dontaye Hunt – making the score 25-20. Springbrook was back in the lead.

Despite being down, the Paint Branch students were still hopeful. The student section was anxious, but didn’t fail to continue cheering as their team made a comeback in the last minute to win the game.

Paint Branch senior Dominic Tolentino exclaimed, “The game has brought two lively schools together, regardless of our feud with Springbrook!”